


Cultivated Kindness

by orphan_account



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: F/F, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 10:50:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16809190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: After a minor magical mishap, Patchouli suddenly finds herself subject to the worry of a well-meaning gate guard.





	Cultivated Kindness

Fuzzy thoughts filtered through Patchouli’s half-conscious mind, and as she passed the fuzzy border between mostly unconscious and mostly awake, pain blossomed in her chest. She was, she soon realized, alive, and with that realization, she could begin assessing her situation, gathering up the pieces of whatever catastrophe she had endured, and focus on getting back to business.

She blinked her eyes open. A green dress. And two long, silky braids, the bright red of freshly-fallen leaves in the autumn. One of them was swaying back and forth, tickling her nose, as the woman to whom it belonged was running in a full-pelt panicked sprint, making a mad dash through the halls of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. After a moment of consideration, Patchouli had come to the conclusion that no, the warm-bodied woman carrying her like a princess was not the floor of her library where she expected to awaken. That much was obvious.

Well. She should probably address that. She reached up, wincing as a jolt of pain shot all the way from the injury in her chest to the tips of her fingers. It was a little worse than was ideal, then. She’d still recover quickly, but it certainly explained the state of panic the woman hauling her was in.

She managed to grasp a hold of one of the braids, giving it a firm tug as though it were a pull-chain.

“Meiling,” she rasped.

“A-ah! Lady Patchouli!” Meiling practically screeched to a halt, staring down at the woman in her arms.. 

They were in the main hall, just a short jaunt from the gate to the gardens, and judging by how out-of-breath she had been, she was likely prepared to launch herself into the sky the second they cleared the foyer, if hurtling herself straight through the nearest window wasn’t an option.

“You’re awake, thank goodness! I sensed something was amiss, and when I went to find you, you had been hurt, so I--”

“A spell misfired,” she explained, cutting her off with a dismissive wave of her hand. As much as it hurt to do, she didn’t want her appearances to fail her. “No damage done would have been permanent. What were you planning to do with me had I not woken up?”

“O-oh! Right, um. Well...” She seemed at a loss for a means to fidget, as her arms were presently full of Patchouli. “I just-- knew something was wrong, and you were hurt. And I didn’t know how serious it was, and I know Doctor Yagokoro--”

“Stop,” She raised a hand once more. Meiling was coming down from a panic, and had a tendency to be a bit blustery and long-winded in the first place. Thankfully, moving about was already becoming much easier. “You were going to take me all the way to Eintei?”

Meiling laughed nervously. “Well--”

“Was anyone else... made aware of your intentions?”

“N-not quite, no...”

Patchouli sighed.

She had a hard time thinking any particularly uncharitable thoughts about Meiling, despite an exasperation so obvious it must have been palpable. Patchouli had, after all, been the one to miscalculate. Her attempts to streamline the chanting process of a particularly potent spell had predictable, if disappointing, consequences. She was expecting the reaction to collapse in on itself, not to grow unstable. Her wards were raised, but she was struck with greater force than she could have resisted. Ultimately, it was her fault. 

She could see the hint of tears in the corners of Meiling’s eyes. She was staring down at her, holding in her arms firmly, yet delicately, cradling Patchouli’s head against the swell of her bicep (surprisingly firm for a woman with such a large, doughy frame). It wasn’t unpleasant, was it? It felt warm and secure. And Meiling had such pretty hair, and never before had she ever thought to look into her eyes, and her lips were--

Were--

A number of thoughts came crashing against one another, the emotions running rampant through her mind coming to a grinding halt.

“I think I’d prefer to return to my studies now,” Patchouli said. A dusting of color had found its way into her cheeks. She couldn’t be feeling this way about the gate guard, could she?

“O-oh! Yes, of course! Right away, Lady Patchouli.” She seemed ready to carry her all the way back, walking with a purposeful march.

“I believe I can make it there under my own power, Meiling.” Her cheeks darkened. 

“Are you sure about that? You shouldn’t exert yourself too much...” 

“I can manage,” She replied. “Really. You're leaving your post unattended.”

“Ah-” That seemed to do the trick. “Ah!” She set Patchouli down on the ground, careful as can be. “I’ll be back to check on you later!” She promised, backing away a few steps before bounding out the door. 

\-----

Meiling was being completely honest when she promised to check on her. What Patchouli hadn’t counted on was that she’d return every day following, as though she'd made it a part of her routine. Every day, she would arrive, watching and talking and chattering away at her. Fifteen minutes in the morning, a half-hour in the afternoon, and fifteen minutes in the evening. 

Patchouli was a busy woman. Her studies could only handle oh-so-many interruptions, between Remilia’s unreasonable requests and her frequent need to catch her breath. They could scarcely handle the bounding enthusiasm of a copper-haired giant three times a day. Not, at least, when it felt so insulting to her pride, as if she was just expecting her next failure to happen at any moment.

Meiling would grin and greet her politely, as grateful as ever to be seeing her. But then she would double check to make sure that she was fine, really though, is she sure? Is she really sure? There’s nothing wrong? Nothing out of the ordinary? She would grip her hat anxiously when Patchouli would get a bit terse, but she’d still show up again, asking the same questions. Often, she would come bearing gifts. 

“Lady Patchouli! I’ve left you one of my meat buns, if you haven’t eaten!”

“Lady Patchouli! I thought you might be interested in this new manga! I know, you don’t like these kinds of stories, but this one is about a witch who--”

“Lady Patchouli! I noticed it was a bit drafty in here and I thought maybe you could use an extra blanket, you see, so--”

“Lady Patchouli! I--”

“Meiling,” Patchouli wheeled on her sharply, her voice a hiss. “Is this how you show concern? I am not a child practicing her first cantrips. I do not need a... a... babysitter looming over my shoulder, checking my work, as though you are possessed of even a shred of comprehension. I have told you for days now, time and time again. I. Am.” Something drew her gaze in the middle of her speech. Her eyes drifted down, towards the arrangement of flowers clasped in her hands. Sprigs of lavender flowers. To match her hair, in all likelihood. 

Patchouli wilted. 

“Fine,” she finished, all the fury in her voice gone.

“Ah- ah, I’m sorry, Lady Patchouli. For wasting your time. I’ll just--”

“Wait.” Patchouli sighed. “Meiling. Would you like to share tea with me, today?” 

Meiling was confused, but accepted, guided to a seat. The flowers were accepted as graciously as she could muster, and she turned away to fetch a pot of tea herself. She would normally have sent her familiar in her stead, but preparing it on her own would give her the opportunity to collect her thoughts. She found a little vase with a bit of water to place the lavender sprigs, to ameliorate the sense of rejection her snappishness must have caused. Meiling was sitting at a hastily-cleared table in the library, hands clasped together on her lap, eyes roaming about as though it were the first time she ever visited the place, awaiting her return as patiently as she could manage. 

Patchouli wasn’t quite out of breath by the time she came back, but she had resorted to using her magic to float the rest of the distance. She sat across from Meiling in silence as the tea magically poured itself, guiding it with a subtle gesture of her hand and sliding a little bowl of sugar cubes across the table.

Two cubes fell into Meiling’s tea. Both Meiling and Patchouli sat in silence for a moment, tea steaming. Meiling’s spoon clinked against the side of her cup as she stirred.

“Meiling,” Patchouli said, finally breaking the silence. “I was not aware this would cause so much concern for you. I am certain you do not mean to insult or offend with your actions.”

Meiling offered a smile. Patchouli found herself meeting her eyes, without fully intending it. She was noticing things that she had perhaps always been aware of, but had never bothered to put to words before. Things like her disarming sweetness, her bright enthusiasm, her pride in herself and her duties. In spite of how ruthless she could be chasing down trespassers, there was a strange kindness she always seemed to cultivate. It came out most when she was tending to flowers, sneaking extra food to the fairy maids, or... 

...Or in moments like this. Patchouli felt blessed that she could still hear her talking over the sound of her heart drumming in her chest.

“Lady Patchouli... I’m sorry too, I guess. I didn’t really mean to insult your abilities! I just--” another hesitation. “Do you know how my abilities work?” She asked. 

“A passing awareness,” she replied, though her words lacked their usual biting edge.

“R-right!” She chuckled nervously. “I just did it again, didn’t I? Well... I mean more how it feels than how it really works, mechanically. I have to be able to feel when something is amiss, or else trespassers could sneak in without anyone noticing. So I feel the qi of everyone who lives here, in the mansion. All of the devils and all of the fairies, and everybody in between.”

Patchouli nodded with a quiet murmur, prompting her to continue as she sipped her tea.

“When I stand at the gate, I can feel your qi. I know it sounds silly, but I actually find it to be comforting. I have to place myself between our enemies and the people I care about. It can feel really lonely standing guard out there, but when I focus on your presences, it makes me remember why I’m doing it.”

A little smile crossed Meiling’s face as she continues. “Miss Sakuya is like a hummingbird. She flits here and there, with her power over time, crossing huge distances without any time passing her by. She doesn’t slow down at all until she’s by the Mistress’ side. 

“And the Mistress herself is a steady, silvery glow. It reminds me of the moon. Soft and bright, but powerful enough that it defines the whole night sky with its presence or absence. 

“The sister is like the blazing sun, in comparison. I can feel her even when she’s deep underground, searing heat smothered by earth and stone. She’s so bright that if I focus on it too much, it threatens to overwhelm me. I guess it’s how she must feel most of the time, too...

“And, um. There’s also you. You are a powerful magician with a weak body. Your presence is really faint, and there are times I have to focus particularly hard just to be sure that your aura is still there. And then I tried, and... and it wasn’t. For a moment, when that spell backfired on you, it felt like you were just gone.”

Meiling laughed nervously. “I know it’s not rational. You are no less of a youkai than I am, even with all of your frailties. You’re a strong magician. It wouldn't be so simple to destroy you. But even so, it put this thought in my head, and it just wouldn’t go away. The Scarlet Devil Mansion wouldn’t be the same without its librarian.” Her voice grew quiet. “It wouldn't feel as much like home.”

The words were heavy in Patchouli’s mind, and she’d rarely seen Meiling so serious about anything in her life. All she could manage to respond, for the moment, was a quiet “I see.” A moment or two passed between the two of them, the silence weighty, and Patchouli soon realized that it would be up to her to take the next steps, after everything that Meiling had said. But where to even begin? Slowly, the words rolled out. “You are right. I am frail. I have been aware of that reality for near a century. It is rare that I consider my maladies a concern of others.”

Patchouli smiled, then, faintly, looking at Meiling. “The duty of the guard is to keep the residents safe, no? You do your job well. Even if little black-and-white rodents manage to sneak past.”

Meiling perked up a little bit at that, suppressing a laugh.

“I do not believe I thanked you for coming to my aid, earlier, did I? I regret that. You were at my side in an instant when you thought something was wrong.” 

“Well...” she laughed gently. “I don’t really expect that kind of thing from you, Lady Patchouli. It doesn’t bother me. So it’s fine, okay?”

“Meiling. Thank you.”

“Ah...” She couldn’t help but grin. . 

“And I apologize for causing you alarm. I already took the precautions to assure it does not happen again. I may take further precautions, following this discussion. Your feelings on the matter are heard and understood.”

Meiling leaned forward, a bit emboldened. “Well... I know that you’re just talking about magic, but there are other ways you may want to begin considering, too! I know you don’t need to eat, but it nourishes the body as well as the spirit, and it would improve your energy levels. And you could join me out in the garden sometimes! Well, when the flowers aren’t in full bloom, anyways. That’s where I do my exercises. You don’t need to be very strong to learn the basics of tai chi, and it would be a lot of fun to have someone to--”

Patchouli had stopped listening by then. The idea of someone like her going on an exercise regimen was simply impossible, and beside that, there was one unspoken sentiment that still needed to be expressed. Wordlessly, she rose from her seat crossing the distance between them with slow, deliberate steps.

“--But you really just have to, ah... To... Lady Patchouli?”

Patchouli leaned down, pressing her lips to Meiling’s cheek. 

“Meiling,” she said, cupping her cheek in a palm and turning her face towards her. “I would not be averse to meeting you for tea again, when there is time to spare. In fact, this has been lovely.”

Meiling’s cheeks were a bright, burning red, matching the color of her hair. 

“I--” 

“It is about time you’re obligated to return to your post, is it not? I do not want you to be late on my account.”

Meiling squeaked. ”A-ah? It is, isn’t it!” She stumbled out of the chair. “Th-thank you, Lady Patchouli! For the tea! And, ah, ah--” 

She was overtaken with giddiness, but short on time. Already she had taken off in a low fly, straight out the door to the library. 

For the second time, Patchouli Knowledge watched as Hong Meiling fled from her sight to return to her post. This time, however, she was helpless to prevent the smile spreading across her face.

**Author's Note:**

> i wish more patchy/meiling stuff existed. jocks + nerds should kiss


End file.
